Dendrobium nobile Lindl. is an important cash crop in China, which has medicinal and ornamental value. Statistical analysis and diversity evaluation of phenotypic traits such as plant morphology, flowers, stomata and content of active components were carried out on 17 populations of wild D. nobile, and phylogenetic clustering analysis was carried out. The results showed that there were significant differences in phenotypic traits among different populations of D. nobile, and the germplasm resources were rich in genetic diversity. Further, systematic cluster analysis was conducted using 7 phenotypic traits with low coefficient of variation as parameters. When the Euclidean distance was 10, D. nobile populations were divided into 3 groups, of which Hainan Baisha population was an independent group, indicating that island isolation hindered gene exchange and made a great contribution to the biodiversity of D. nobile. The Hainan island provides an important place for the in situ protection of D. nobile germplasm resources and the effective maintenance of genetic resources. This study laid a theoretical foundation for the protection and utilization of D. nobile germplasm resources.
Objective: To provide technical support for the conservation, development and utilization of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.)Breit. (P. ternata) germplasm resources by studying the propagation and preservation methods of P. ternata. Methods: Firstly, the propagation conditions were explored by screening sterilization conditions, callus induction and cluster buds induction. Secondly, the suitable conditions for germplasm preservation were explored by setting different basic media, sucrose concentration, temperature and light intensities. Finally, the methods of awakening dormant tubers and reinducing clumping buds were explored to provide a basis for the re-propagation of germplasm resources. Results: The petiole explants were sterilized with mercuric chloride for 12 minutes and inoculated into the medium supplemented with 2,4-D to induce loose callus. The explants were inoculated to MS+2.0 mg/L 6-BA+0.1 mg/L NAA+ 30 g/L sucrose + 6.0 g/L agar, pH 5.8 for cluster buds induction. MS and N6 medium was the appropriate medium for germplasm preservation. The appropriate sucrose concentration is 30 g/L, and either too low or too high sucrose concentration was not conducive to germplasm preservation. It is necessary to provide sufficient temperature and light during tuber induction. Low temperature and light avoidance conditions are not conducive to germplasm preservation. It can be stored in vitro for up to 1-2 years after the sprout tumble of cluster buds. The wake-up induction of dormant tubers can be induced by cutting tubers and then inoculating them. The germination of the petiole can be directly induced by cluster buds proliferation, while the tubers can be inoculated into MS+ 6-BA 1.0 mg/L+NAA 0.2 mg/L+ sucrose 30 g/L+ agar 6.5 g/L, pH 5.8 to induce cluster buds re-differentiation. The cluster buds can be propagated or preserved in vitro. Conclusion: Through the propagation of germplasm of P. ternata, the dormant cluster tubers can be obtained by screening appropriate conditions, which can be preserved in vitro for a long time, and then awakened and induced again, providing a technical basis for the conservation and utilization of its germplasm resources.
Chinese Angelica plants have rich plant resources, including 34 kinds of herbs such as Angelica, Angelica dahurica, and Angelicae Pubescentis Radix, widely used clinically and have high medicinal value. They are rich in coumarin, polysaccharide, organic acid, phenol, and naphtha. In addition to their traditional effects of replenishing the blood supply and invigorating the circulation of blood, regulating the menstrual cycle and relieving pain in the lower abdomen, and moistening intestines to relieve constipation, they also have anti-oxidation, anti-aging, neuron-protection, anti-tumor and other pharmacological effects. They have a broad application prospect. In this paper, the distribution, medicinal efficacy, chemical composition and pharmacological effect of Chinese Angelica plants were reviewed, which can provide reference for the development and utilization of Angelica plants. According to the concept of Q-marker, the factors affecting the quality of Chinese Angelica plants can be summarized as the varieties of medicinal plants, plant production areas, chemical components, processing methods, traditional efficacy and online pharmacology prediction and analysis. In order to provide reference for establishing and improving their quality control and evaluation methods, this paper analyzed and discussed the Chinese Angelica plants from different aspects.
With the continuous improvement of living standards, people’s demand for aquatic products is increasing day by day, and the rapid development of the industry has become one of the fastest growing food production sectors worldwide. However, various diseases induced by parasites, bacteria and viruses have caused huge economic losses to aquaculture industry, which seriously restrict the rapid and stable development of the industry. As a traditional means of control, synthetic drugs such as antibiotics are often used in aquaculture processes. The abuse of a large number of chemosynthetic drugs induces drug residues, drug-resistant bacteria and other environmental pollution problems, endangering human health. Therefore, Chinese herbal medicine with a variety of effective active ingredients has become the research object for exploring new means of prevention and control of aquatic disease outbreak due to its natural, safe and small side effects. At present, Chinese herbal medicine is often used to regulate the immunity of aquatic animals, growth rate and prevent disease outbreaks. At the same time, it can also be used to improve the aquaculture environment and reduce the stress of environmental factors on aquatic animals. However, current studies mainly focus on obtaining compound active ingredients for disease outbreak prevention and control from Chinese herbal medicine, which are unstable in efficacy and unclear in active ingredients, and cannot meet the production needs of in-depth exploration of efficient, cheap and stable prevention and control agents. This paper discusses the application and mechanism of Chinese herbal medicine in prevention and control of aquatic animal disease outbreak, and reveals the insufficiency of the mechanism research on active molecules of Chinese herbal medicine. In conclusion, this paper highlights the potential of Chinese herbal medicine to be used as a more environmentally friendly and effective means of disease control and prevention in aquaculture, and the in-depth study of its resistance mechanism is particularly important.
There are about 800 genera and 28 000 species in the family Orchidaceae Juss. (including 5 sub-families). As one of the largest families of angiosperms, Orchidaceae is widely distributed in various terrestrial ecosystems except Antarctica, mostly in the humid tropics and susbtropics. Orchids possess multiple types of value such as ecological, ornamental, medicinal, edible, cultural and scientific uses. They have always been a key protected group of concern, with all taxa listed in the appendixes of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and most species included in the Red Data Books of many countries. China is one of the countries with the richest resources of wild orchids. They consist of a series of evolutionary groups from primitive types to advanced types, and complex and diverse geographical distribution types. In this paper, the status, endangerment and conservation of wild orchid resources in China are comprehensively described and analyzed. The latest inventory documented 5 sub-families, 198 genera, 1 725 species of wild orchids in China, including 13 natural hybrid species. Seven genera, Bulbophyllum, Dendrobium, Liparis, Platanthera, Calanthe, Habenaria and Cymbidium, are the biggest groups at the generic level with more than 50 species each. There are 65 monotypic genera among wild orchids in China. The diverse uses of orchids in China are represented through their value in terms of ornament, medicine, food, culture, and research. In the Threatened Species List of China’s Higher Plants issued in 2017, 653 species of orchids were included in the list, which indicated Orchidaceae became the largest family with most threatened species. The List of National Key Protected Wild Plants renewed in 2021 covered 23 genera, 349 species of orchids, in which 53 species are listed as the first class protected plants and 296 species are the second class. The prospect of sustainable uses of orchid resources in the future is proposed. The latest edition of the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants released in 2021 has opened up a favorable new situation for the protection and management of wild orchids in China. All linguistic groups in China have a long tradition to recognize, manage, use and conserve orchids. They have traditionally grown Cymbidium hookerianum and Dendrobium chrysotoxum in homegardens, collected Bletilla striata and Gymnadenia conopsea to treat various ailments, cooked Gastrodia elata and Dendrobium catenatum with meat as medicinal food, and greeted friends with Cymbidium tortisepalum and Paphiopedilum micranthum. Their traditional knowledge and culture associated with orchids among local communities throughout the country have been well-known in China and in other parts of the world. The summarization and scientific popularization of China’s long-standing orchid culture and traditional knowledge should be paid attention to. The conservation of orchid biological and cultural diversity, discovery of new resources of orchids, and exploitation of new products for cultural, medicinal and food purposes will be benefited from the clues of traditional knowledge. It may not only become a novel idea and impetus for the conservation and sustainable uses of orchid resources, but also contribute to the achievement of ecological civilization and the Beautiful China initiative, rural revitalization, and sustainable economic and social development in China.
In order to realize the full quality utilization and high-value utilization of Dendrobium huoshanense, the Dendrobium huoshanense Jiaosu was prepared by two processes, i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation fermentation and natural fermentation. The change trend of metabolites (organic acids, total phenols, total sugars, etc.) and antioxidant activity (OH· scavenging rate, ABTS· scavenging rate, reducing power) in different fermentation processes were studied. Combined with multivariate statistical analysis, a comprehensive evaluation index was established. The results showed that the number of yeast in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae inoculation fermentation group was higher than that in the natural fermentation group. The content of 4 organic acids detected in natural fermentation group was higher than that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation group, and the content of lactic acid and acetic acid showed an upward trend. The oxalic acid content of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation group decreased significantly, while the oxalic acid content of natural fermentation did not change significantly. The total phenol content of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation group and natural fermentation group decreased by 24.02% and 24.98%, respectively. The total sugar content decreased by 64.21% and 22.89%, respectively. The pH value decreased by 0.12 and 0.24, respectively, and the total acid content increased by 62.98% and 70.98%, respectively. The sugar-acid ratio decreased by 80.13% and 59.47%, respectively. The taste of the ferment produced by Saccharomyces cerevisiae was mainly sour and sweet, while the taste of the ferment naturally fermented was mainly sweet. In terms of antioxidation, yeast fermentation was significantly higher than natural fermentation group, and OH· scavenging capacity was increased by 42.57% and 40.67%, respectively, while ABTS · scavenging capacity increased by 55.36% and 30.06%, respectively. The reducing power had no significant change. The results of correlation analysis and principal component analysis showed that organic acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid had a certain antioxidant activity. The comprehensive evaluation index of the 14th day of yeast fermentation reached the peak of the stage, and the growth quantity of yeast tended to be stable after the 14th day, entering the stable growth period, which can be used as the best fermentation node. To sum up, the results showed that compared with natural fermentation of Dendrobium huoshanense, Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation improved the antioxidant activity, enriched the taste of the Jiaosu, and shortened the fermentation time, and the quality of the Jiaosu was better.
Objective: Natural edible pigments with high safety and low toxicity usually possess various nutritional and pharmacological effects, and they have huge practical application value in the market. In this paper, the extraction condition, antioxidant activity, which included DPPH radical-scavenging activity, superoxide radical (O2-)-scavenging activity and reducing power, and metal chelating activity of melanin from sunflower seed shell were investigated in detail to provide theoretical basis for its future application. Methods: In this paper, the efficient preparation of melanin from sunflower seed shell was achieved using hot alkali extraction by single-factor experiments combined with response surface methodology (RSM), acid hydrolysis, washing with organic solvents, re-dissolution and re-precipitation. The antioxidant activity and adsorption activity were determined by nitrotetrazolium nlue chloride reduction method, spectrophotometry and static adsorption. Results: Melanin from sunflower seed shell was successfully prepared. The optimal conditions were determined as follows: NaOH concentration, 0.11 mol/L; liquid-to-solid ratio, 15.77∶1; extraction time, 181.16 min; and extraction temperature, 75.19℃. Under these conditions, the experimental yield of melanin was 2.95%, which was well matched with the value predicted by the developed model. The ability to scavenge DPPH radical, superoxide radical (O2-) and the reducing power of melanin from sunflower seed shell were stronger than those of synthetic melanin. Furthermore, the adsorption efficiency of melanin from sunflower seed shell to Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cr3+ were higher than that of synthetic melanin. Conclusion: Compared with synthetic melanin, natural melanin from sunflower seed shell could be used as colorant, antioxidant and adsorbent, and was more effective. Therefore, melanin from sunflower seed shell was a potential replacement of synthetic melanin.
Objective: To study the protective mechanism of Ophiopogon japonicus extract on Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on metabolomics. Methods: The T2DM mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Mice were orally administrated with the aqueous extract of Ophiopogon japonicu for 4 weeks. The diabetic phenotypes in serum were measured. Changes in serum metabolites were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF-MS). Results: Compared with the control group, the fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were increased in the model group, while the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly, and the above indexes were reversed after treatment of Ophiopogon japonicus extract. The metabonomic results showed that 43 differential metabolites were found between the control group and the model group. These metabolites were enriched in 18 pathways. Ophiopogon japonicus extract significantly decreased the content of glyceric acid, malonic semialdehyde, and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid in T2DM mice. Ophiopogon japonicus extract could regulate 7 pathways, such as ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis. Conclusion: The hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering effect of Ophiopogon on T2DM may be related to ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis.
To study the effect of Huangqin Decoction on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3)/cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-1 (Caspase-1)-dependent pyroptosis pathway in diabetic nephropathy (DN) rat model. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, irbesartan group (27 mg/kg), and Huangqin Decoction low- and high-dose groups (5 g/kg and 20 g/kg), and the DN rat model was induced by high-fat diet for 6 weeks combined with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg). Serum fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG), urine protein (UP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 levels were measured after 6 weeks of gavage administration; renal pathological changes were observed by HE and Masson staining; renal NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1/pyroptosis pathway-related proteins and positive cell expression were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Results: Compared with the control group, the levels of FBG, TC, TG, UP, BUN, Scr, IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.01); the kidneys showed pathological changes such as increased glomerular volume and basement membrane thickening, tubular lumen expansion, inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis; the phosphorylation levels of NF-κB in kidney tissues and NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), Caspase-1, IL-1β and gasdermin D (GSDMD) protein expression were significantly increasedc (P<0.01); NLRP3 and GSDMD positive cells expression in renal tissue were significantly increased P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the above-mentioned blood glucose, lipids, renal function and inflammatory factor levels were significantly improved in the Huangqin Decoction groups (P<0.05, P<0.01); renal glomerular and tubular structures were normalized, and the degree of inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis was improved; the phosphorylation levels of NF-κB in renal tissue as well as NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, IL-1β and GSDMD protein expressions were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01); renal tissue NLRP3 and GSDMD positive cells expression were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion: Huangqin Decoction exerts a definite effect on DN rats, at least partly, through inhibition of the NF-κB/NLRP3/Caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis signaling pathway.
Morel (Morchella spp.) is a kind of rare edible and medicinal fungus. The polysaccharides extracted from morel have excellent biological activities in terms of anti-cancer, anti-oxidation, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects and immune regulation, and have broad application prospects in the development of food, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. The effective extraction of morel polysaccharide is the basis of its structure analysis and bioactivity research. Different methods of extraction for morel polysaccharides have certain effects on their structures and bioactivities. It was found that the bioactivities are impacted greatly by the characteristics of morel polysaccharides with structure, such as molecular weight, monosaccharide composition and primary structure. Therefore, it is of great significance to investigate the structure of morel polysaccharides to reveal their bioactivity and mechanism of action. The extraction, isolation, structure analysis and bioactivity of morel polysaccharide are summarized, the mechanism of its bioactivity is analyzed, and the future research direction is proposed to provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of morel polysaccharide.
Oysters are saltwater bivalves with high nutritional and medicinal value that are cultivated widely around the world. Oyster shell is a unique natural biomaterial composed of 95% calcium carbonate and 5% organic polymer material. Its unique multi-scale and multi-level “brick-mud”microstructure is similar to human hard tissues, which endows its good mechanical stability, biocompatibility, degradability, and excellent adsorption properties. Herein, this paper systematically introduces and discusses the physicochemical and highly ordered hierarchical natural unique calcium carbonate micro nano structure of oyster shell, followed by a summary of its applications in agriculture, industry and biology. Specially, we elaborate the applications of oyster shells in sewage processing, soil improvement, natural antibacterial agents (food industry and biomedicine), bone tissue engineering, medical uses, biological filling, catalysts and dispersive carriers in diesel industry, concrete fillers in construction industry, and functional coating additives,and introduce the advances in using the bioconversion technology to convert oyster shells into bioenergy, new biomass materials and other applications. In addition, this review also discusses the potential applications of oyster shells in industry, agriculture and medicine in the near future.
Anaerobic biological treatment technology has been widely used in various wastewater treatments because of its advantages of high organic load, low sludge output and low energy consumption. Anaerobic granular sludge has the advantages of good settling performance, high microbial concentration and high organic load, which can greatly improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment. In particular, in the treatment of wastewater containing high ammonia nitrogen, the formation of anaerobic granular sludge is also essential for the efficient biological nitrogen removal in the reactor. But up to now, we still lack a systematic understanding of the formation of granular sludge in anaerobic reactors and the effect of wastewater treatment. So, this paper summarized the formation mechanism of anaerobic granular sludge in anaerobic reactors, analyzed the influencing factors, discussed the simulation of anaerobic granular sludge growth in anaerobic reactors, and finally analyzed the mainstream application of anaerobic granular sludge at home and abroad. The formation of granular sludge in anaerobic reactors is the result of multiple factors, and every factor that affects the formation of anaerobic granular sludge should be treated seriously. The theoretical guidance and technical support for the cultivation and application of granular sludge in anaerobic reactors were provided in this paper.
Compared with methane production, producing volatile fatty acids by anaerobic fermentation of sludge is a more valuable way of sludge stabilization and resource utilization, which scholars have widely valued at home and abroad. Considering that the low acid production and the instability of the acid production process are the main problems limiting the acid production by sludge fermentation, the use of bioaugmentation to achieve a large amount of accumulation of volatile fatty acids has the advantages of low cost and no secondary pollution compared with physical and chemical methods. According to the types of bioaugmentation agents, this paper summarized the effects of pure microbial culture, mixed microbial culture, and biological enzyme enhancement on anaerobic fermentation and acid production of sludge, and discussed the application of bioaugmentation technology in controlling directional acid production of sludge and regulating odd-even carbon ratio. In addition, the factors affecting the yield and composition of volatile fatty acids, such as pH, temperature, substrate, hydraulic retention time, and sludge age, were analyzed. Finally, the development prospects for the bioaugmentation technology were discussed in order to provide a reference for further exploration of sludge recycling.
China is the one of the largest aquaculture countries in the world, and the annual economic loss caused by diseases of crustaceans is about 7 billion RMB per year. Among them, Spiroplasma is one of the important pathogenic bacteria of crustaceans, which can cause large-scale death of crustaceans, and has been listed as a Class III epidemic disease of the Ministry of Agriculture. Non coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are widespread in bacteria. They recognize target mRNAs mainly through base pairing and regulate gene expression at the post transcriptional level. Some ncRNAs affect protein function by interacting with proteins. Recent studies have shown that bacterial ncRNAs play an important role in virulence regulation. In order to study the molecular regulatory role of Spiroplasma ncRNAs in crustaceans, it is necessary to systematically screen and identify the ncRNAs and virulence targets related to Spiroplasma infection. Through comparative genome, differential transcriptome, quantitative proteome, system biology analysis, and combined analysis of molecular interaction and bioinformatics methods, this study showed that 54 ncRNAs of Spiroplasma were obtained by integrating genome and transcriptome. Under the conditions of infection in vivo and culture in vitro, 11 and 28 significantly different ncRNAs were obtained by digital gene expression profiling. Four biological software tools were used to predict ncRNA targets, and 423 targets were obtained by intersection. Using quantitative proteomic analysis, 68 differential virulence proteins were identified, which were the same as 21 out of the 30 virulence targets of ncRNAs. Six main hub-ncRNAs were found by network biology analysis. Using RNA pull-down, prokaryotic chain specific sequencing and LC-MS/MS comprehensive analysis, 53 interacting RNAs and 120 interacting proteins of ncRNA SR05 were found. The relevant research results can lay a foundation for interpreting the pathogenic mechanism of Spiroplasma and its interaction mechanism with the host, and provide a scientific basis for the comprehensive prevention and treatment of this disease in crustaceans.
